


The Tomb of Naga Sadow

by ReneeoftheStars



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Massassi, Pre-A New Hope, Rebel Alliance, Rebels, Yavin 4, during star wars rebels, massassi temple, naga sadow's tomb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-31 18:42:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21150398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReneeoftheStars/pseuds/ReneeoftheStars
Summary: Hera Syndulla and Garazeb Orrelios accompany Princess Leia on a recon assignment to inspect the area surrounding the Massassi Temple - the Rebel Alliance's new primary base. While out in the jungle, they come across something rather unexpected.





	The Tomb of Naga Sadow

**Author's Note:**

> Well this WAS just a little piece to accompany the drawing I did for the Inktober prompt Overgrown... and then it became kind of long, and now I'm curious what might happen. So I may continue this, may not. I make no promises.

As much as Hera agreed with the Princess’s decision that the area around their base on Yavin 4 had to be fully inspected, she was very opposed to the Princess actually coming on the recon mission, and said as much. 

Princess Leia wouldn’t hear of it. “I told my father I would ensure the security of the base. If the Massassi Temple is going to become our main base of operations, we need to be sure we don’t get any nasty local surprises.”

“Like those krykna spiders at Chopper Base,” Zeb had agreed with a shudder, prepping his bo-rifle. 

“Exactly.” When Hera still hadn’t been convinced, Leia had given her a smile. “I excelled at my pathfinding expeditions, Captain. I’m not afraid of some wilderness. I won’t be a hinderance.” The finality in her voice - and the young woman’s inherent higher rank - left Hera no choice but to agree. 

And so, they’d spent the better part of the last four days scouting the perimeter of the Massassi Temple. They came across a few clusters of miniature howler lizards that scurried away from them, and Zeb kept his distance from the purple jumping spiders, but they didn’t come across anything larger than a docile herd of mawgax that watched them pass with beady black eyes. 

Hera had to admit, she hadn’t expected the Princess to fair so well out in the jungle. But the human was dressed in a practical jumpsuit, and wasn’t afraid of getting dirty. She had pointed out a narrow animal path that eventually led them to a freshwater stream. Hera fastened a locator beacon on one of the rock outcroppings by the water so she could send a team back out here. After all, a Rebellion needed water to keep going.

On the fifth day of their exploring, Zeb was in front, using his bo-rifle to clear a space through some particularly dense foliage. Hera was behind him, finishing a check-in call with Senator Mon Mothma. The Senator was glad there seemed to be no immediate danger to the base, and had informed Hera that they were to report back to the temple as soon as they could, as a mission had come up for Phoenix Squadron. 

Hera was so preoccupied with wondering what the mission would entail that it took her a moment to realize the Princess was not right behind her. 

“Zeb, wait,” she ordered. The Lasat stopped as Hera spun around, ready to call out for the Princess, when she spotted her.

Leia was frozen several meters back, turned to face east, away from any direction they’d scouted. She was leaning forward, her gaze intense, a hand on the blaster at her hip as she stared into the thicket. 

“Your Highness?” Hera asked quietly, slipping her own blaster from its holster and moving to Leia’s side. 

“Something’s out there,” Leia breathed, not taking her eyes from the jungle. 

Hera carefully raised her blaster. “Did you see something?”

“No - maybe.” She sounded distracted. "I feel... cold. Come on.” 

And without another word, she stepped deeper into the jungle. 

“Uh, Hera?” Zeb sounded bewildered. 

“Your Highness, wait!”

But she didn’t stop. With a groan, Hera gestured to Zeb and took off after Leia. 

As they walked, Hera realized the jungle was different here. No wonder it had unnerved the Princess. The air hung still here, almost musty. There were fewer animal sounds; whereas the avian creatures had cooed and cawed constantly close to the base, here they were mostly silent, and there was no movement in the underbrush. And it_ was_ cooler here. The leafy canopy overhead wove together tightly, blocking out most of the sunlight, leaving the forest floor drenched in shadow. Hera, Leia, and Zeb didn’t lower their weapons.

After what seemed like forever, Leia stopped, staring up at something. As Hera crept forward, the shadows shifted, and she saw what had caught Leia’s attention.

It was a large grey stone statue of a humanoid in bulky armor, grasping a massive sword. It had clearly been carved with excruciating detail, but time and the elements had taken a toll. One of the spikes coming off its shoulder pad had broken off, as had the figure’s beard and one side of the sword’s crossguard. Any detail on the armor and tunic had long since worn away, and what had probably been a chiseled, angular face had become smooth and blunted.

Vines twisted and draped over the statue, creeping up its legs and sword, hanging off its broad shoulders and arms. Soft moss lay on the statue’s flatter surfaces like an extra layer of armor. Against the backdrop of the jungle, it looked like some sort of forest sentry.

“Who’s he?” Zeb asked out loud, stepping up to the statue. It stood a few inches taller than him. “Looks like a warrior.”

Leia circled the statue, inspecting it. “We’ve found a few other icons of this figure around the Massassi Temple. If the records are right, this is Naga Sadow. He was an ancient Sith that enslaved the Massassi people. They saw him as a god.” 

“Sith?” Zeb repeated sharply. He looked to Hera. “Like that Zabrak? Like Vader?”

“I think so,” Hera answered slowly. “But according to legend, there used to be a species called the Sith. Which one was he?” she asked Leia, nodding to the statue.

“Both, I think.” She frowned. “There are so many stories, and the records from that time aren’t very detailed. We really don’t know much about it.”

“What’s that there?” Zeb pointed behind the statue.

At first, Hera didn’t know what he was talking about. She took a few steps to the side, and an opening appeared in what she had taken for a small hill. Now, she saw an ancient structure overgrown with foliage, a dark opening in the center of it, like a gash. Moss-covered steps led downward into the earth.

Hera peered at it uncertainly. “We scanned a lot of ruins on the planet when we first scouted it. Probably just another small temple, or a warehouse.”

“Or a tomb,” Leia muttered distractedly. 

Hera glanced at her. “What makes you say that?”

Leia blinked rapidly. “I - just a thought. I’ve seen some tombs that have stairs leading down like that. Then again, I’ve seen wine cellars do that, too. We don’t know what it is.” She drew herself upright. “We should check it out.”

Zeb shuddered, his grip on his bo-rifle tightening. “All due respect, Princess, this place gives me the creeps. We should head back to base.”

“Zeb’s right,” Hera said, putting a hand on Leia’s arm. Shivers crawled down Hera’s lekku. “I have a bad feeling about this place. And we have no idea what could be inside. A predator, old poisoned air, traps. And if we disturb the structure and it caves in, no one will be able to find us. It’s too risky.”

Leia looked like she wanted to argue, but then the young woman took a breath and nodded. “You’re right, Captain Syndulla. Mon Mothma is waiting.” She paused, her gaze sweeping the effigy and structure. “I’d like to leave a locator beacon, so I can return with a team to investigate this ruin. There might be something inside we can use.” 

“Of course.” They had enough beacons to spare, so Hera activated it and placed it at the statue’s feet. “Good eye, finding this. When we have the personnel to spare, we can get a team together.”

“Leave that to me,” Leia said, already walking. “Like I said, I intend to lead the team back.”

“Your duties might prevent that from happening, Your Highness,” Hera reminded her gently.

“We’ll see,” was all she said. 

As she and Zeb followed the Princess back, Hera noticed Zeb kept looking over his shoulder, and held his bo-rifle ready. “You okay?”

“Eh, sure. It just feels like it’s watching us,” Zeb grumbled. “This place seems like something more up Kanan and Ezra’s alley. Anytime I get this kind of feeling, it’s normally a sign I should sit it out and let them handle it.”

Hera didn’t disagree, and they followed the Princess back into the livelier part of the jungle. She knew she was just imagining it after Zeb’s comment, but it certainly did feel like the statue’s eyes watched them leave.


End file.
